EM&I launch FLNG JIP
Published by Will Owen,
Editor
LNG Industry,
EM&I has launched its new ‘FloGas’ joint industry project (JIP) for floating gas assets.
In two virtual conference calls for the eastern and western hemispheres, 20 representatives of owners, operators, class societies and academic organisations, agreed to move to the next stage in developing a JIP aimed at improving the integrity of floating LNG (FLNG) and floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) assets.
EM&I has already led the successful Hull Inspection Techniques & Strategy (HITS) JIP, as part of the Global FPSO Research Forum, for the last 8 years. HITS has produced a number of notable innovations which have revolutionised hull inspection methods.
Having been in the asset integrity management (AIM) industry for over 35 years and worked on hundreds of offshore assets, EM&I has pioneered diverless, robotic and digital technologies, which have produced significant savings in money, time, and people on board (POB).
“Many of the HITS technologies can be used on floating gas assets as well as FPSOs”, commented Danny Constantinis (Executive Chairman) of the EM&I Group and Project Director of the HITS JIP. “The idea of a ‘FloGas’ JIP was enthusiastically received by all the attendees, and the next stage is to define the top three integrity challenges, and encourage the development of solutions that protects the industry and the public, while reducing risk and cost to all stakeholders”, he added.
FSRUs have a number of unique aspects as they are often moored in river estuaries near to large conurbations, so come under the port restrictions as far as inspection, repair, and maintenance (IRM) activities are concerned. These can vary from port to port, so operators need to be aware of flag, insurance, and environmental considerations, such as disposal of marine growth, etc.
Floating gas assets are also being used in new ways such as bunkering vessels (fuel stations) as LNG becomes a more popular fuel for many ships as a cleaner, greener, fuel for the future. All these considerations make it important to coordinate efforts, in order to establish agreed common industry standards for managing integrity in the floating gas sector.
Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/regasification/05102020/emi-launch-flng-jip/
You might also like
EIA: US natural gas trade will continue to grow with the start-up of new LNG export projects
The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s recently released Short-Term Energy Outlook forecasts that US LNG exports will continue to lead growth in US natural gas trade as three LNG export projects currently under construction start operations and ramp up to full production by the end of 2025.